The present invention relates to a parts depository, particularly for large-area workpieces produced in a transfer press for handling large workpieces. Transfer presses of this type work on the material (for example, a vehicle body part) in sequential stages. After lifting the movable die or dies of the press the parts under processing are in unison advanced to the successive stage. In large press constructions it is necessary to support and stabilize the press complex by structural columns, for example, along a midline of the press. As the components are intermittently and in sequence advanced through the press, they reach the column area where no working on the components takes place. This location is referred to as an "empty stage" in which each component has to dwell until, in the next sequential step, it is advanced past the empty stage into a "working stage". These empty stages must be designed in such a manner that the respective workpiece being processed is given a reasonable support for its particular outline.
However, this means that a differently shaped support has to be provided in the empty stage for practically every change in workpiece type processed in the machine. In the past, this has always been done manually and was quite labor intensive.